Alumni Affairs

Rockford, IL—Rockford University is thrilled to announce that tickets are now on sale for the 2025 Pathways to Possibility Gala. This year, all fundraising efforts will support the Student Opportunity Fund at Rockford University. 

This year’s Gala will be held on Saturday, February 8, 2025, at 6 p.m. in the Clark Arts Center on Rockford University’s campus. The campus is located at 5050 E. State St. in Rockford, Illinois. 

This unique event is an opportunity to invest in the bright futures of our students while enjoying an elegant night filled with engaging stories, fine dining, and entertainment. 

The Student Opportunity Fund helps Rockford University students turn aspirations into achievements by providing financial support for transformative experiences like research projects, international trips, conferences, etc. 

A donor’s generosity ensures that every student has access to the resources and opportunities they need to thrive. 

In addition to culinary delights and entertainment, the Gala will feature a social hour and a Silent Auction with an array of beautiful baskets for sale.

RU students will speak about how trips and experiences supported by the Student Opportunity Fund have impacted them. The event dress code is business formal, or you may come dressed as your favorite explorer or adventurer. 

For tickets and more information on the event, head to rockford.edu/gala.

To be a Gala sponsor, please contact Stewardship & Project Manager Lauren Prchal at LPrchal@rockford.edu or 815.394.5190. 

For other Gala information please contact Senior Advancement Officer Tanner Elliott at TElliott@rockford.edu or 815.394.5029. 

For media inquiries, please contact Rockford University Communications at communications@rockford.edu. 

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About Rockford University:

Rockford University, formerly Rockford College, is a four-year, co-educational institution founded in 1847 offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in traditional liberal arts and professional fields. The undergraduate program offers approximately 80 majors, minors, and concentrations, including three 100% online majors through the RU Online program. Five master’s degrees are offered through the graduate program, including a Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT), Master of Education (M.Ed.), Master of Arts in Sport Management & Leadership (MASM), and Masters of Science in Exercise Physiology (MSEP).

Rockford University is home to one of only 11 Phi Beta Kappa (PBK) chapters in Illinois, the most prestigious honor society in the United States. Rockford University is proud to hold the prestigious Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement, an elective classification that highlights our dedication to meaningful and impactful partnerships within our local and regional communities. Named by The Princeton Review as a Best Midwestern College and a U.S. News & World Report Best Midwest Regional University, Rockford University currently serves approximately 1,200 full- and part-time students.

By the 1974 Golden Grads Reunion Committee

Looking out the windows of the O’Hare/Rockford bus or from the comfort of our parents’ cars, we drove past endless cornfields as we made our way to a college campus many of us had not ever set foot on, in a city we hadn’t heard of before the first recruitment letter arrived. Excited, curious, anxious, and hopeful, we arrived from large cities, small urban communities, and foreign countries, (from 32 states and 7 countries to be exact) to become the faces that would make up Rockford College’s Class of 1974.

We arrived in the summer of 1970 with the war in Vietnam still raging and the threat of being drafted, the Kent State (in Kent, Ohio) shootings still raw in our minds, and riots in East Los Angeles being front page news. Soon to be given the right to vote with the swipe of a pen by President Nixon, we would finally have a voice and we were ready to be heard.

Over the next four years, dressed in our bell-bottom, hip-hugger jeans with frayed hems, wide belts, and sandals, we fought for “freedoms” from the restrictive social rules left over from the 60’s and did not acquiesce to new rules without protest! Freshman women had curfews and did not receive key cards for their dorms until the second semester.

There were strict visitation hours, and no alcohol was allowed. Change did not come as quickly on campus as it was coming on the news broadcasts. January 1973, saw the passage of Roe v. Wade; in October 1973; and the legal age for beer and wine changed from 21 to 19 in Illinois.

Distrust of government officials and authority, in general, permeated much of our thinking at the time and affected our relationship with the College administration. Outrage over the required forum series and requisite punch cards to ensure attendance along with disbelief over a student being suspended for stealing toilet paper led to animated and often heated meetings on campus. Our shared sense of righteous indignation brought us closer together!

Perhaps one of the most consequential choices we made 50 years ago was the decision to attend a small liberal arts college. Here we were taught to think critically and creatively. We were inspired by professors who cared about their students, were passionate about their disciplines, and challenged us. Who can forget the required reading our freshman year—African Genesis and The Medium is the Massage. Clark Arts Center was dedicated in the spring of 1970 and offered access to the studio arts to many of us for the first time.

In 1970, Rockford College sat at the edge of the city. One would pass it on the way in or out of town, but the beautiful new buildings and campus were self-contained. We ate, slept, and played there. And did we ever play! 

The small, intimate classes made it easy to meet other students, and we soon felt like we knew everyone including the townies who were very much a part of campus life. Without cell phones, we had to venture out into the hallways, common areas, and other dorms to find out who was doing what and where the parties were on any given night.

We looked forward to October Day when classes were suddenly canceled, in the winter we “borrowed” trays from the cafeteria to go traying at the dam, went to “tape” dances, played tug-of-war in the mud, listened to music in our own “coffee house,” and cheered on the soccer, baseball, basketball, and IM (intramural sports) teams. We were especially proud of our champion swimmers!

We are the Golden Grads this year! In September (of 2024) we will come together again to laugh and share memories and see each other just as we were in 1970. It will be time to come clean—How often did you sneak out after curfew? How often did you stay in the wrong dorm? 

Was a freshman men’s dorm a good idea? Did you ever return your trays after sledding on them? Do you remember that earthquake? Who got caught climbing out of a dorm room? 

The story of our class is as unique as our classmates. Thanks for the friends and memories, RC. Looking forward to seeing you again in September!

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1974 Golden Grads Reunion Committee:

• Pam Brueckner Tannura
• Emily Kehoe Johnson
• Robert Herdegen
• Nancy Magnuson Gough 
• Robert “Huffer” Gough 
• Michael Anthony 

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This article is from the 2023-2024 issue of Catalyst. 

by Sara Myers-Hogshead, Digital Media & Communications Specialist 

For alumna Lisa Blakeley-Snyder (‘17), traveling far from home was not in the cards for college. She did not want to go too far from Rockford, her home since middle school. She looked at schools in Wisconsin and near Chicago, but she also knew she wanted to continue playing softball.

It was her Winnebago High School softball coach, Annie Getschel, who told her about Rockford University, where Getschel was coaching softball at the time. 

“She didn’t persuade me by any means, but it had the best financial aid package of any of the schools that I toured,” Blakeley-Snyder said. “Which was important because throughout my time at the university, I never took out any student loans and I just paid as I was going.”

Blakeley-Snyder received her B.S. in psychology and a minor in business from RU in 2017. She said that earlier in life, she wanted to “change the world” and help people, so she originally planned to pursue a career in counseling or social work. 

Some of her favorite classes at RU were taught by Dr. Joel Lynch in the Psychology Department. In those classes, she realized she could help people be happier in their careers if she worked in the human resources (HR) realm and decided to pursue a minor in business.

Though she did not live on campus, she made sure to be involved during her undergrad years. One of Blakeley-Snyder’s good friends was an RA (Resident Advisor) who hosted many dorm events that Blakeley-Snyder would attend and help coordinate. 

“One of my favorite ones was when she had a luau-themed spring event,” she said. “I helped her set up the punch bowl. Then we made sure to decorate a little gathering space in the dorm room with Hawaiian decorations, and we had our Hawaiian shirts on.”

She also participated in intramurals, like basketball and dodgeball, and attended student life events like Casino Night and Bingo. In addition, she played on the softball team while she pursued her bachelor’s degree. 

She decided to further her education and received her Master of Business Administration (MBA) in 2020. During that time she worked in the RU’s Office of Admissions and coached softball. Blakeley-Snyder had multiple roles in the admissions office including Undergraduate Admissions Office Aide, Adult & Graduate Admission Specialist, and Adult & Graduate Admission Recruiter. 

She left RU in 2020 to pursue a career at Road Ranger where she still works today.

At Road Ranger, she started as an HR representative. She had known for a while that she wanted to get into the HR field, but she was having trouble finding a company that would hire her due to her lack of HR experience. She explained that Road Ranger was the company that gave her a chance.

Blakeley-Snyder soon moved into a recruiting manager role. She knew that with her recruiting background, it would be something that she could excel in.

“One of my favorite parts of my job is I have a lot of autonomy and I make a lot of important decisions for the company. I’m interested in doing that, and I travel almost once a month.”

She’s been able to meet and train people for in-person, entry-level jobs like a cashier for one of the local truck stops. She adds that her MBA program helped her grow confidence in herself for the position she’s in now.

“The MBA program helped me—not that I was super reserved— but it helped get me more elevated and out of my comfort zone,” she said. “To the point where I said, ‘We’re a bulk-hiring group, I have no problem doing group presentations in front of 40 people or directing different big top items, including partnering with people in a much higher position, and then also knowing my voice has a reason.’”

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This article is part of the 2023-2024 issue of Catalyst. 

By Sara Myers-Hogshead, Digital Media & Communications Specialist 

David M. Koch always tells his friends and anyone curious that he didn’t mean to end up in the restaurant business, he found himself there by accident. Koch obtained an accounting degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1970 and later in 1986, received his Master of Business Administration (MBA) at Rockford University. 

By 1992, he became CFO at the plastic manufacturing company the Nordic Group in Baraboo, Wisconsin. He was there for 10 years and through that position got to know a man named Craig Culver. Craig Culver started the now-popular restaurant Culver’s in Wisconsin. 

Culver is from Sauk City, the town next door to Baraboo. Culver and Koch became friends and Koch watched as Culver’s restaurant became successful. In 1999, Koch thought starting a Culvers store in the Rockford area would be a good investment.

“I did not intend to go into the restaurant business,” Koch said. “My oldest son (David K. Koch) started the store that was on Harrison Avenue. That was in 1999. We started the business. We built the second one and the third one. Pretty soon it’s this business that’s arrived and it’s growing.”

The investment was a big success. Koch and his son own the Culvers in Rockford and Roscoe, one in Lombard, Illinois. He’s currently working on building four more Culvers in Sarasota, Florida, and Parish, Florida. In total, there will be 10 Culvers stores that the Kochs own.

Around nine years ago, he purchased Mary’s Market in Rockford. Koch had known the previous owners from doing shows and events together like the Rockford Airfest that previously happened at the Chicago Rockford International Airport. When the previous owners wanted to sell the restaurant, they immediately thought of the Koch family.

Koch also owns a small tool manufacturing company in Rockford called TECm. 

“Being a CPA, I do the business,” Koch said. “We have a little corporate headquarters on 4343 State Street next to Mary’s (Market) there. I have a small group of professionals there who really do all of the staff work there. We have 500 employees when you look at all the locations combined and they do the payroll for 500 employees every two weeks.”

Koch, who now lives in Sarasota with his wife (also an RU grad), adds that both of his sons, David and Aaron, are his business partners and managers who update him constantly on the day-to-day aspects of the stores. 

“I’ll be honest with you, I don’t work that many hours anymore,” he said. “I just am involved in the key decisions. Then I still get a paycheck. The second thing is, I’m building a business to pass along to the family.” 

Koch said he’s fortunate to have a good brand like Culvers that has done well. 

“I learned from Craig Culver along the way and he started the same way, his family was always in the restaurant business,” Koch said. “He had an idea. It really didn’t go well at first, the first couple of stores just kind of bumped along. The key to business success is persistence. Now, he’s got 900 stores.”

Koch adds that his family tries to bring good products to our customers with both brands, Culvers and Mary’s Market.

“I think it’s true of anybody whatever opportunities become available to you, analyze those and take advantage,” he said. 

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This article is part of the 2023-2024 issue of Catalyst. 

Students, faculty, staff, and alumni will participate in challenges and special activities to encourage engagement. This year, Day of Giving is seeking to specifically support Rockford Promise Scholars studying at Rockford University.

ROCKFORD, Ill. — Rockford University, the region’s leading private four-year educational institution, will hold its ninth annual Day of Giving on Thursday, April 27, 2023. Day of Giving is a 24-hour giving challenge that uses the power of social media to raise funds in support of Rockford University students. This year, Day of Giving is seeking to specifically support Rockford Promise Scholars studying at Rockford University.

Challenges, fun incentives, and special activities will be featured to encourage engagement and participation throughout the day. Students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends will celebrate on campus with fun activities planned from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. outside the Johnson Alumni Center, 5050 E. State Street.  There will be FREE food, t-shirts for the first 50 guests, pictures with Reggie the Mascot, and time with RU’s therapy dogs. 

Rockford University makes a profound difference in the lives of Rockford Promise scholars by supporting their dreams and graduating them in four years, tuition-free. In Fall 2023, the number of Rockford Promise scholars choosing to study at RU, Rockford’s local university, will TRIPLE and requires financial support.

Last year, Day of Giving raised over $120,000 from 375 donors. This year, the goal is to exceed last year’s totals and achieve a record 400 alumni and friends making their gift of any size to show their belief in these incredible students.

“Rockford Promise scholars contribute so much to our campus and community, and we are grateful for the opportunity to support additional scholars coming to our campus through this year’s Day of Giving. Having 400 donors join us in celebrating the success of these students will allow Rockford University to continue graduating even more Rockford Promise scholars tuition-free,” said Nicole Riley, Rockford University’s Director of Alumni Engagement & Philanthropic Strategies.

Event attendees who make a gift of any size are entered in a pick-a-prize opportunity and a pick-a-pie opportunity, where they can win a gift provided by a faculty or staff member, and pick who from leadership will get a good-hearted pie to the face during the End of Year Bash on April 28.

To participate or follow Rockford University’s progress during the 2023 Day of Giving, connect with the university’s primary social media channels and use hashtag #RUDayofGiving2023.
 
Facebook: www.facebook.com/RockfordUniversity/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/rockforduniversity/

Website: www.rockford.edu/give/dayofgiving/

Photo opportunities will be available from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. outside the Johnson Alumni Center during our Day of Giving Celebration.

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Please RSVP to Communications@rockford.edu by 9 a.m. on April 27, 2023, to confirm your attendance.